Vanity and Humanity
by Dunna
Summary: She wanted it, she really, really wanted it... and when she got it, she turned her back on it. AU, all human.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys, how's it going?? So this is my newest story, my other one is as of now incomplete but I will finish it, I was just itching to start on this one. Be advised that mature content is in it, not that kind of mature content but, trust me, this is gonna be a hard one to stomach, I would understand if you didn't like it. Thanks for giving it a shot anyway!!!**

**Again thanks to Channy for feeding my obsession and hearing my ideas for stories.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Prologue**

"I see you"

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**Shortest prologue EVER!!!! What did you think? Plot away as to what it might mean, I swear though, it does mean something but it'll be a while before I tell you.**

**Have a lovely day, :)**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hello children!**

**Did you guys like the prologue?? Do you know what it means? :P On that same note thank you so much to Defunkitated Vampires, Hannahmcw and What-About-Jacob for reviewing. Thanks to Defunkitated Vampires, fighter419, Edward's-a-beefacake, Hannahmcw, inuyashee, jaime2891, skydala and What-About-Jacob. And most especially thanks to What-About-Jacob for adding the story to her favorites!**

**If you hadn't guessed it this chapter goes out to What-About-Jacob (aka Emily) for being so incredibly supportive! Thanks, :)**

**Again thanks to Channy for making me laugh, she thinks I have a thing for depression, can you believe that?**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Temptation**

"You're perfect."

His assertion came from the direction of the doorway, as quiet as the dim lighting a single lamp offered, but perhaps more powerful because of it, for there he was, in the shadows, watching me judge myself and making sure I knew how he felt. My eyes left my reflection on the full body mirror and my self-inspection ended. Though, really, I had to agree with him.

I barely had time to register his words before I felt his strong arms wrap around my torso and pull me closer into the warmth of his embrace. I offered no resistance and opted to give into his touch, it was so easy and practically second nature to mold into him, even if it was just my back meeting his broad chest.

My head leaned back and rested against his shoulder as my eyes fell closed and I focused solely on the deliciousness of him: Emmett.

Emmett, whose opinion and admiration I secretly craved, Emmett, who made me love someone other than myself, Emmett, who is bigger and taller and stronger than me and yet could crumble with just one look I gave him, Emmett, whose curly hair, blue stormy eyes and dimpled smile are my favorite sights in this world, Emmett, who is the only one who doesn't see me as vain, Emmett who doesn't know how much I need his love, Emmett, whose need for me is as big as my need for him.

A voice in the back of my mind reminded me there was a reason I was in a bare backed glistening jet black satin floor-skimming Caitlyn gown, adorned with hand-sewn Swarovski crystals, and a sheer georgette overlay fluttering gently over the fluid, and though the voice was loud at first it started to lose strength as soon as I felt his soft full lips connect with my neck. I was tempted to turn around and see if the dress could come off faster than it took to put on but that nagging voice in the back of my mind was warring with his hands- which were starting run both north and south over me- for my immediate attention.

"Emmett," I managed is a raspy voice.

"Hmm?" He answered and I felt the vibrations his lips made on my neck, as his hands went east and west and settled on my hips. There was still time to stop him, if I acted quickly.

"You're going to make us late." I all but moaned. His hand squeezed my hips and his lips moved to the back of my neck, careful of my up do.

"And your point?"

"We can't be late again, Emmett. I bet Alice we wouldn't be and I'll be damned if I let the pixie win." His response was a light trailing of his lips down my bare back, his hands took on a mind of their own and roamed as much of me as they could.

"Emmett," I tried again. "It's your parents' anniversary dinner, we can't be late for that." At this point there was no strength in my voice and a burning fire down south. Only my pride for winning the bet kept me going against allowing him to quench said fire. But maybe, just maybe the support for his parents' joyous occasion was – in this one instance- greater than the need I could feel against my backside.

His unruly hands trailed upward until they found my covered breasts and squeezed in rebellion.

"Let the pixie win, Rosie." His ragged breathing was my downfall. I turned around to face him, my dress scrunched up from the movement and raised a little, his hands moved from my hips to my lower back and my own moved slowly up the lapel of his tuxedo, jet black silk, to match my dress. The same ache I felt in my own body to posses him was swirling in his eyes, mixed with love and cheekiness at making me concede, yet again.

We would be late; there was no doubting that now.

"Fine." I acquiesced.

His grin was definitely victorious and his dimples made an appearance before he dipped his head slowly and connected his lips with mine in a soft, loving kiss that disarmed me, his arms fell to my backside and brought me closer to him, while the kiss started out soft, his whole demeanor told me I was in for a fun couple hours filled with raw and unhinging passion. Mine for him and his for me.

His lips left mine for a second and in a sudden movement he answered my fleeting question, the dress did come off faster than it took to put on, and judging by the muted sound of ripping textile, satin was no match for an Emmett on the verge of sex.

"You ripped my dress!" I protested meekly, with absolutely no anger in my voice.

"You look better without it." He shrugged.

For the single sake of my dress and the fact that I actually liked it I moved my hands to just underneath his tie knot, grabbed a side of his crisp white shirt in each on my hands and yanked as hard as I could. I watched in pure satisfaction as its poor little buttons ripped apart, leaving the shirt as unfixable as my dress but my husband still much more clothed than me.

"Oh, hell!" He exclaimed in surprise. And I laughed.

"That's what you get for damaging my clothes." I said with obvious amusement in my voice.

There was a second, just a second in which I could swear fear passed through his eyes, I'd never been quite so aggressive before, but I wasn't to be faulted; everyone knows you don't mess with a woman's wardrobe. As soon as I registered that emotion however his smile returned, cheekier than ever before and his whole stance changed, he became the devastatingly sexy man I knew him to be, the one who made me forget even what day it was as he pounded home again and again, the one who was up for more than just sweet kisses.

"Good to know." He stated just before his strong hands took hold of my hips again and lifted me to him, eliciting a gasp of surprise from me, on instinct I opened my legs and rounded them on him. Very deliberately he carried me to the bed that was a good ten paces away, while my arms looped around his neck and his hands invited themselves into my underwear.

We stumbled onto the bed, my legs carefully wrapped around his hips as his mouth went on a journey across my chest and stomach. Somehow in between his kisses I remembered he was still fully clothed and hurried to remedy it. His jacket was first to leave, followed by a half undone tie and his ruined shirt, my legs loosened their hold a bit, granting me access to his lower half, quite rapidly his belt hit the floor with a careless flick.

I tugged on the button of his pants and he nearly ripped them off him, leaving him only in tight black boxers, making our attires match. It wasn't long before his hands rid me of my lace and I of his cotton.

And there it was. My favorite sight in the world: My husband. With curly hair that begged to be tugged at, a dimpled smile that left me breathless and a blazing fire of complete desire shining out of his stormy blue eyes, drinking me in as I was doing him.

No matter how many times we did it looking at him like this always made my heart race. For he was so incredibly perfectly built, he was so completely manly it was almost unfair that I kept him to myself, surely the world deserved to see him, surely he would be revered by any person with eyes.

Every curve of his taut flexed muscles, the planes of his ivory flesh and the little drops of sweat that ran slowly down creating a path that I eagerly followed. The perfect v that his hipbones formed and finally his eager and ready "Brigadier General" as he dubbed it; standing in salute over my entrance.

After running my fingers up his forearms, enjoying every rise and fall of his biceps, I rested my looped arms on his shoulders and focused my eyes on his face- pink with strain and restrain and with tiny dews of sweat forming- my right hand left his shoulders and came to rest on his cheek. During the actual act we were pretty wild, we had been known to break a few things if they were in our way… or dent the walls a little, but this moment, the moment right before our lovemaking began, there was a tenderness in his and my actions, almost reassuring ourselves that this was more than just sex, just pretty spectacular lovemaking.

A smile crept across my face as his hand swept my hair back and his lips descended on mine. "You're so beautiful, Rosie." He whispered. He reserved those compliments for when we were alone, in public his adjectives were a bit flashier, but in our bedroom I was never 'hot' or a 'babe', I was always beautiful and perfect… I wouldn't have it any other way.

"I love you, Emmett" fell softly from my lips. After another soft kiss and a shift of his hips, the General found his home. And the exquisite fun began.

~*~

"You made it!" Jasper, my brother, sighed in relief as we neared the round table.

"One hour and forty-two minutes late." Alice, his wife, added checking her watch. "The shoes, Rosalie, if you would be so kind."

Evil little thing. "I have them in the car Alice; I'll give them to you at the end of the night."

"What's going on?" Edward asked confused, holding his wife Bella by his side.

"Well Eddie, the thing is I bet Rosalie she and Emmett couldn't make it to any event on time, because they have a habit of giving into temptation, she said they could and that Mom and Dad's anniversary would be the proof of that." She grinned. "Obviously that didn't happen so what I got from our little wager were her new Louboutin's!" She squealed.

Alice and I saw in almost slow motion as everybody's stare turned blank, even Bella's. Honestly, you'd think the girl was allergic to fashion with how much she avoided it, thank God she had us. "You know, Christian Louboutin." Alice said slowly, as if that would make them understand better. It didn't. "Shoes!" She cried in exasperation, throwing her hands up in the air for dramatic effect, everyone seemed to understand at that.

Not just shoes. They were my most desired 3-inch Clichys in black patent leather with a signature red sole. The ones I'd waited months for… the ones that didn't even fit her. That line of thinking made me feel crushing grief for a whole different reason, no the shoes didn't fit her, because her feet were still slightly swollen.

Two and a half months ago now, Alice, who is two years younger than me gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Katherine, she was a perfectly healthy little baby girl with a little bit of dark hair on top of her downy head, pink chubby cheeks and it seemed like her eyes would be Jasper's color, dark blue.

I would give more than my Louboutins for a child of my own.

Emmett and I had been trying for a baby since we got married almost three years ago. After nearly two years of no luck we went to the doctor and I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovaries Type I. Hence the irregularity of my period, ever since I was a teenager I would go months without it and it didn't bother me, in fact I was relieved because when you're in school the last thing you want is a potential accident, but I wasn't a teenager anymore, I was a married 25 year old greatly in love and with the deepest desires to have a child. What I considered to be a blessing in my teenage years became my curse, because of my irregular periods keeping track of my ovulating days was hard, therefore making conception a game of roulette.

After my diagnosis however came the devastating part, because the treatment to regulate my period was birth control pills, and that pretty much ruled conception right out the window, I was supposed to be on them for a year and so far it had been seven month and every time I had to mark my calendar was heartbreaking, it was another month that kept me away from my dream. Though, on the plus side should things continue like this in five months we could try again.

The conversation flowed easily with Emmett pointing out that my shoes wouldn't fit Alice and her saying she never wanted to wear them, she simply wanted to get them. She was wicked, like a dark Tinkerbell.

We dined and talked and laughed the night away as Caslisle swore eternal love to Esme, gave thanks for everything he had been given and kissed the hand of his 28- year long wife. Jasper excused himself a couple times throughout the night to go check on the sleeping baby upstairs; I fought the urge to go with him each and every time. I fought the urge to hold her as all of us said goodbye, I fought the urge to keep the tiny stuffed elephant that fell from Alice's hands as she reached for the shoes and I bent down to pick it up and finally as I saw them turn around and leave…I simply fought the urge to cry.

When we got home I tried my hardest not to let Emmett see how affected I was, ever since we learned of Alice's pregnancy he did his best to reassure me that someday we would have that too and I tried my best to believe him, but evenings like this one, they ended up like this, with me crushed and him worried as we fell asleep one holding the other until my tears ran dry.

~*~

My eyes snapped open as I was woken up from my restful sleep by the feeling of extreme nausea, I detangled myself from my husband, whose broad chest I loved so much was very much in my way this morning, I needed a bathroom and I needed it fast. My hand went to cover my mouth and I fell on my knees in front of the toilet, it seemed like every single thing I had consumed yesterday was floating in front of me. Once the nausea passed I stayed put for a second, resting my head on the cool side of the bathtub, I'd had viral infections and the flu before but none of them had woken me up with the sudden urge to throw up.

A couple minutes after that I felt a lot better; so I stood up and went back to the bed where Emmett was patting the side next to him looking for me. "Rosie?" he croaked.

I got on the bed and snuggled up close to him. "Where'd you go?" he asked, voice still groggy, eyes still closed. I mumbled my response without any sordid details "Bathroom." He nodded his head twice before his snoring filled the room again.

~*~

"You look different." Bella stated as Alice, holding a now three-and-a-half month old Katherine, Esme and I sat down for a 'girls only' lunch.

"Different how?" I asked, confused, I felt the same. Except for the projectile vomiting I'd done in the morning I was absolutely fine, a little hungrier than normal but overall fine, but I mean, my stomach _was_ running on empty.

"I don't know." She said. "Like, shiny." She squinted her eyes at me as if I was the Sun and she was staring directly at it.

I liked Bella, she was nice, a little shy but nice enough, it's just that sometimes, well the girl was plain weird. "Shiny"? I wasn't a coin.

I gave her a half smile and proceeded to devour my food, I truly was famished now.

"God Rosalie, chew." Alice said, clearly amused.

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes as I swallowed thickly and answered. "I'm starving Alice, I didn't eat any breakfast because I got sick in the morning and emptied my stomach completely, then I didn't feel like eating but now I do and this smells absolutely delicious so just let me enjoy it, alright?" I answered, a bit more annoyed than I meant.

"You got sick?" She asked. I nodded.

"And you didn't eat anything else because it smelled…really strong? Not bad but just, not doable at the moment?" She asked again, I nodded again. That's exactly what it'd felt like.

"And now you're starving?" She asked yet again.

"Yes Alice, I am, can you stop it with the interrogation already and just let me eat?" I asked, completely annoyed now.

Her eyes connected with her Mother's, then with Bella's and all three of them smiled. "Rosalie…" Esme said, she was looking at me with the strangest look in her eyes; she looked about ready to cry. "you're glowing." She managed in a weak voice. Great now I was a lava lamp.

"Rose, have you given any thought as to why you might've been sick this morning? Because if you don't know yet… well I'm sure the rest of the first trimester's morning sickness will clue you in." Came Alice's breezy tone.

As her words registered in my suddenly frozen brain the fork fell from my hand, the clattering echo of the impact was the only noise to be heard around the table.

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**First chapter's out!!!! Have some faith and keep an eye out for it!**

**Can I tell you guys something, I had a Twilight un-talented character moment today. You wanna know what happened, well my sister called me on the phone, right? And she's asking me to get some clothes ready for her cuz she was going out and blah, blah, blah so then she starts telling me exactly what she wants me to get her and then she says: "As for shoes, the golden sandals with the backstrap." Immediately I look down to my feet and guess what I was wearing? EXACTLY, so then I go : "Uh, the ones..." And she goes: "That you're wearing right now, yes, I need them ." Holy Mother of God, so my theory is either she had a vision of me wearing the shoes or she read my mind about me having the shoes on, either way it freaked me out. And it got me thinking the Cullen's musta been spooked by Edward and Alice at first, huh?**

**Long story, not quite so funny but no one else in my family likes Twilight so they wouldn't understand what it all meant.**

**Have a great day and next chapter should be up by Sunday, I think.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Good morning FF'ers!**

**Shall we start with the thank you's? For reviewing: Defunkitated Vampires, LimitedBannerMaker, What-About-Jacob and wish upon a cullen. For alerting: emroseliz and LimitedBannerMaker. For favoriting: LimitedBannerMaker.**

**A little shout out to Mika, my FF friend!**

**This chapter goes out to emroseliz, who read FS and then came over here and was super nice and supportive. :)**

**Thanks as always to Channy for getting this back to me in less than ten minutes!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Week by week**

As the clatter from the fork stopped I felt myself stand up, my eyes wide and my jaw dropped. Alice, Bella and Esme seemed not to expect this reaction.

"Rosalie," Alice said apprehensively "are you okay?"

I didn't know how to answer that. The only emotion I could register at the moment was shock, complete and utter shock, because her words were still running wild in my mind. And against all logic and reason my hope was following closely behind, like a fragile lost puppy. She seemed so sure… could I take it if she wasn't right? It was one thing to get my period month after month; it was a very different thing to basically be told that I was pregnant by someone who could recognize the symptoms. Alice would know, she had a baby not four months ago and Esme, she had three children, she would most definitely recognize the signs of pregnancy even in another woman.

Esme stood up and approached me carefully, her soft slightly wrinkly hands closed around mine. My eyes slowly reached hers and I noticed tears were forming slowly. "You didn't know." She stated softly. "It's fairly new Rosalie, I'd say you weren't even in your sixth week yet but… trust me, as we speak, a little baby is growing inside you. I could not be happier." She smiled and reached forward to kiss my cheek.

My arms rounded around her not because I believed her news but because I felt like I would fall over if I didn't have any support. "Are you sure?" I heard myself whisper. I felt her nod.

Her body pulled back but her hands stayed on my forearms, keeping me up. "I am, but I think it would be wise to confirm it, shall we go buy a test after lunch? Or would you prefer to have Carlisle check you?"

"Um, I… don't-"

"Rosalie you should take a test right now, come on let's go buy one and you can take it and then we can go buy clothes for it or something!!!!" Excitement dripped from every single one of Alice's words.

As carefully as possible she placed the baby back in her stroller, got up and pulled my hand whiled pushing the stroller forward, intent to make me realize the truth in her statement.

~*~

Twenty minutes later I was pacing the bathroom of the first pharmacy we could find counting down the minutes 'til the test gave me its answer. Once we actually got here I got nervous, I was so close to know if I was getting what I always wanted the most that without meaning to I started hoping for it to be true. But then reality made an appearance and my fears came crashing down on me. I was on the pill, there was medically less than a 1% possibility of it failing, it just seemed untrue that it would happen like this, after waiting for so long and yet before it was expected. For that single reason I took five different tests, from five different brands, along with that I had Alice, Bella and even Esme take a test too, even though Bella and Alice swore theirs weren't needed and Esme was obviously not needed they conceded for my sake, moral support. Also, Esme was curious about them, they didn't have pregnancy tests during her fertile years.

"It's time." Alice announced looking down at her watch, my pacing stopped immediately.

Almost in slow motion I watched as the three women next to me each took their used pregnancy test and looked down at the answers they held. "What'd you get Mom?" Alice asked near doubling in laughter. Esme smiled and replied "Negative… and I thought this would be the year, fifty_ is_ the new forty you know." They all laughed at that.

I walked slowly up to the counter where all my tests lay with fierce hope in my heart to see a positive sign. And then I reached them and the answer lay there in plain sight for me to digest, signs, lines, colors and words stared back up at me, all telling me the same answer.

"So?" I heard Bella say from behind me.

My head moved back in her direction and I noticed Alice was holding Katherine again, my eyes fell slowly on the baby content in her Mother's arms and I felt a smile creep up to my lips.

In less than nine months, I would do that too.

~*~

Telling Emmett wasn't nearly as romantic as I always hoped or dreamed it would be. There was no cute little outfit hidden inside a wrapped gift he could open, no baby themed special dinner, no bun in the oven he could take out and puzzle over. No, telling Emmett I was pregnant was simply me breaking down at the sight of him and with wrecked sobs sharing the news, but the reaction I always imagined from him was there, he gave a sharp intake of breath as his brain fought to grasp the concept, his jaw opened in shock and his eyes traveled from my eyes to my stomach over and over… and then he smiled, he smiled at me and he smiled at my belly, his large hand tentatively reached out and came in contact with my midsection. "Rosie" His whisper spoke much more to me that if he'd recited a speech and I broke down crying again because there I was: Standing in the hallway of my home with both my hands covering my husband's as it lay on top of my clothed abdomen, which after years of trying was finally housing a life: Our child's.

Week after week my womb grew bigger. Imperceptibly so for the rest of the first trimester until one day a definite bump was there, tangible proof of what was to come. After a visit to the doctor to confirm my gravid state some answers were given to us. Giving into Emmett and being late to his parent's anniversary dinner was the culprit of our current situation. Though I couldn't and wouldn't complain one bit for it was the best decision of my life and my reward was something bigger than myself. My forgetting to take the pill earlier that day played a part as well.

My husband's hands roamed my belly every night before he fell asleep, feeling it expand. Week twenty brought with it our chance to know the sex of our baby. I was hoping for a boy. A tiny little pink-cheeked boy with curly dark hair, stormy blue eyes and dimples as he smiled. A tiny little boy who would take after his Father. But our child was either shy or uncooperative, for the whole time the ultrasound lasted the only sight we got was that of its back. It was still beautiful. And yes, I cried.

A tiny kick came a week later and that was the end of my restful sleep, the baby and I had a different time schedule, it would be relatively calm during the day but would go crazy at night, right before I was ready to give into Hypnos and Morpheus's inviting arms it deciding it was more fun to try to jump out of my skin that to relax and sleep for the night. The baby moved so much in the following weeks that Emmett decided it had to be a boy and without a doubt and athlete, even in the womb it was stretching. His conviction was so strong that he got me thinking it was true. Especially when he went out and bought a dozen little Hot Wheels, he opened them and every night he would run a different one carefully over my tummy, motor sounds included. He didn't whisper soft words to the baby but in his own special way it was incredibly cute. I loved watching him do it because he tried as hard as possible to lower his naturally booming voice telling our baby what color the little car was and ask if he liked how it ran across my stomach. I sometimes joined him and a chase of sorts took place. I drew the line however when he said he wanted to paint a race track on my ever-expanding belly so that the chase could be "fairer".

By week twenty-eight we still hadn't been able to confirm our suspicions but both of us were convinced based on old wives' tales that I was carrying a son. Which is why we started looking for boy's names.

"Emmett Jr.?" Was his first suggestion.

"How about something a little bit more original? After all if it happens to be a girl we wouldn't name her after me." I reasoned. I could see in his face that his heart wasn't set on naming our son after him, it was just a simple first proposal and I was thankful for that because since Esme had dangled my wedding ring above me and it moved back and forth, therefore stating it was a boy I had thrown myself into researching names. And I had picked one.

"Have you thought of any?" He asked as his hand once again stroked the side of my stomach, receiving a kick from the baby. A smile appeared on both our faces at that.

"There is this one name that I think it nice." I started, suddenly getting nervous at the prospect of a refusal.

"Which one?" He asked, connecting his gaze with mine.

Taking a deep breath I answered. "Aaron." I said a little quietly.

"Aaron." He tested.

"The meaning isn't quite clear but some interpretations include "Pregnancy", "Strong" and "One of light". I think they're all fitting."

I expected a joke from him, as he did often to avoid a somewhat serious situation, but as he stilled the hand I was running through my belly to grasp it in one if his own and bring it up to his lips, my eyes widened in surprise. "It is. Completely." He smiled again and I became uncharacteristically coy at his gesture.

Week thirty-four brought 'waddling' with it to the extreme amusement of every one of my family members. The only comforting thought was that he was nearly here and the nursery we had created for him would soon be in use. It was decorated with teddy bears since that's what everyone described my husband behaved like. He did, he was soft and mushy inside.

By week thirty-eight I was ready to kill myself, I was so unbelievably uncomfortable, I couldn't even sleep well anymore, my joints and lower back ached, I could hardly walk, I was the size of a blimp and I couldn't even enjoy midnight romps with my husband anymore because once I managed to get on the bed no human desire could make me get up. In exasperation I threw my hands in the air, complaining yet again that I was pretty much miserable and it didn't help to know that the hard part wasn't even done with yet.

"Emmett!" I yelled, frustrated that I needed assistance even to get up from the toilet. "I need help!" He wasn't quick enough to hide the smirk on his face as he came into view and I instantly got annoyed. Just he wait 'til I'm having this baby, I'll break his hand while pushing and see how much he'll want to laugh then.

"You okay there, Rosie?" He asked in a breezy tone.

"Just help me up." I demanded, the stern in my voice hid the embarrassment I felt at needing help with something so trivial. "I cannot wait to have this baby. I miss my mobility." The baby must have been feeling submissive because the second Emmett's arms lifted me from the bathroom seat, my water broke.

An almighty fear took over me. I had two weeks left, I wasn't ready to have the baby yet. As soon as he knew what was going on Emmett showed intense leadership by pulling up my pants and doing his best to calm me down and relax me. Not letting go of me he reached one handed for the suitcase we had prepared earlier. He called our family and got me to the hospital within minutes, where I was checked and medicated.

Hours later I was in the process of pushing, with him by my side and our family outside, seemingly endless minutes were the only thing separating me from my dream, my perfect pink-cheeked boy, the little child who would run free and wild and would be as adventurous as his Father, the most beautiful baby boy I will have ever seen.

Instantly images of my perfect baby boy walking up to me filled my imagination as I felt his body enter the world and heard the voice of my Doctor confirming the old wives' tales. I had had a son.

Aaron.

I had been so convinced by Emmett that this would be our outcome that I didn't even register surprise when it indeed happened. It was meant to be.

His cry was heard by everyone in the room and he was swiftly taken away to be cleaned. I felt Emmett lips crash down on mine in a passionate kiss. The kiss went on longer than I would've thought appropriate for someone who had just given birth, shouldn't we had been interrupted by now. Shouldn't I be holding my baby by now? Instant worry and dread filled me and I broke the kiss. The sight in front of me told me there was something off; did all nurses and doctors surround a crying newborn like that? Their whispers were too low for me to discern but my anxious cries alerted them and when I asked what was wrong they plastered a smile on their faces and the doctor asked one of the nurses to answer my incessant requests to let me hold my son. I couldn't bear to think the ideal image I had in my head would not come true in reality.

I watched in an almost hysterical state as the nurse placed a blue blanket swaddled baby in my all too eager arms and I smiled in relief and deep gratitude as I felt his tiny little body filled my arms. I was finally a Mother.

My eyes went on a quest to study his face and I felt a dull sense of dread return.

He was not what I expected.

* * *

**I have come to the realization that begging for reviews doesn't help in the least, therefore my newest strategy is to demand them. That's right, I went there! Please feed my insanity and make me believe this ploy worked.**

**Have a nice day and the next chapter should be up before Thursday.**


	4. Chapter 3

**I'm so incredibly sorry to have taken this long to update, but in my defense I live in Miami and it's so unbelievably hot right now my computer suffered a heat stroke and perished!!! I lost everything, including what I'd written of this chapter already. Sorry, again.**

**Thank's for reviewing: Defunkitated Vampires,** **emroseliz,** **LimitedBannerMaker, What-About-Jacob and wish upon a cullen. For alerting: becki16 and nikkireedkellanlutzfanpire.**

**For favoriting: Emmy-Bear Loveer. Thanks to Amelia 123 and just4fun4 for favoriting me as an author, :P**

**Thank also to Karen for being so helpful and nice.**

**A little shout out to Channy for being an awesome beta and friend! She puts up with me and my crap.**

**This chapter is dedicated to wish upon a cullen (Hannah), because her power of perception is incredible!!!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Trisomy 21**

Not all newborns look alike, I knew that well, however a slight resemblance between them wasn't uncommon.

Aaron didn't look like any other baby I'd even seen or held.

When Katherine had been born some of her parents' features were discernable in her. She had Alice's hair and Jasper's eyes, some of her grandparents was also in her.

I couldn't find any of Emmett or myself in our son.

There was something about him, how his eyes were slanted, almost almond shaped, and how all his features, from his mouth to his ears to his chin were a bit too small. His virtually bald head was a bit too small as well.

Red flags were raised against in my mind; there was something wrong with my son. And though I couldn't pin point exactly what it was, I knew it was true.

But then my hand connected with his skin… and nothing else mattered.

My mind and body finally caught up with the fact that in my arms lay my son, what I always wished to have, whom I'd waited months to meet. And though the doubts of his physical appearance didn't disappear, they did dispel, in that moment I couldn't care, he could look however he wished to look and I'd love him simply because he was mine, because he made me what I always hoped I could be: a Mother.

My vision got blurry and my joy took on a teary nature. My cheeks, which were tear- stained and probably blotchy, got moist again. Sobs broke through me and my breath came in gasps, and though I was too far gone to really notice I'm pretty sure I wailed quite loudly.

Leaning down, ignoring the slight pain I felt at that movement, I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to his forehead.

And I never felt happier.

I felt a hand on my back and my eyes instantly opened to find Emmett leaning forward, looking down at me and Aaron. His big form was no match for the smile that graced his lips.

Slowly he sat on the bed as best he could and reached out a large hand to touch our son. He smile only got bigger when his finger came in contact with Aaron's velvet cheek. His eyes met mine and I saw in them an intensity I'd never seen before. A kind of fervor that made me almost blush.

I was used to people looking at me, I was used to seeing anything from jealousy to admiration when they took in my face, or my body, or any other part of me. But never had I seen the absolute devotion in anyone's gaze that I was seeing in my husband's eyes now. He looked as if I'd just saved his life, as if I'd just opened the gates of Heaven for him.

His stare went from me to Aaron. His eyes softening. "Hey, there champ." He said in as soft a tone as he could muster given his natural loudness. His finger moved to one of Aaron's hand and we watched almost in awe as he instantly closed his tiny fist around his Father's finger. It was so small it didn't even close around it, but it was beautiful to see him try. "A football player's grip, definitely." Emmett consented.

I laughed breathlessly remembering how we decided he would be a football player from all his kicks back in my belly. I moved back to remind Emmett of it when I saw him looking at me again, his face serious, his gaze intense once more. "Thank you," was all he said before descending his lips on mine.

I gulped loudly, not knowing how to appropriately react to his heavy words and shuffled a bit so he could get a chance to meet our baby as well. I watched in fascination as his body strained with effort, his face contorted with apprehension and his hands fumbled to correctly allow our son to rest in his arms. It was endearing to see _him_, the eternal child, sober up and become a Father, and even though I didn't tell him, he was an absolute natural at holding Aaron.

One after one our family walked into the room to hug and congratulate us. Some more loudly than others, but all radiating joy at the newest addition.

Flower arrangements, balloons and stuffed animals were placed all over the room and smiles were etched on everyone's faces.

Aaron was passed to everyone and he was accepted warmly by all. But when Carlisle- a doctor- held him some of the feelings of dread I successfully vanished before came back. I saw it, it was quick, brief, but I saw it. He saw the same thing I had, I saw his eyes widen while he looked down at the baby. His smile faltered slightly and he stifled a gasp. His eyes moved almost frantically, it looked almost as a medical inspection and not a grandparent's welcome. He shifted Aaron carefully to rest on one of his forearms and carefully he sought his hand and when he found it he moved it to look at his palm. He exhaled quietly and looked almost defeated.

"What's wrong, Carlisle?" I asked almost in fear.

Everyone else turned to look at him; they had somehow missed his examination by talking to one another and asking Emmett for details of the birth.

He was surprised at my direct approach and I was too. But I had suspicions I was afraid of confirming and though everyone else seemed to ignore them, I knew that Carlisle could see them too.

He composed his face rapidly. "Nothing, nothing's wrong… he's… nothing's wrong." He smiled warmly.

I didn't believe him.

He gave the baby back to Esme and excused himself from the room. My eyes followed his form until it disappeared. The dull sense of dread returned, and this time it didn't leave.

"_It doesn't matter" _Came from my mind. Whatever it is that's wrong, it doesn't matter. No matter what Carlisle said when he came back, or why it took so long for the nurses to bring him to me, or even my own sense of fear at him not being okay, it wouldn't matter. I tore my eyes away from the door, conviction replacing my fear immediately.

It doesn't matter.

I repeated that to myself like a mantra, as I held him again, as I fed him, as he was taken to the nursery, as my eyes closed for the night, those three little words helped me through everything.

Dawn broke through the window, hitting my eyes and waking me up. I was still sore but it was a welcoming pain.

A few minutes after being awaken by the sun and rubbing the sleep away from my eyes I buzzed a nurse in and asked if she could please bring my son in. I'd missed him.

It took a little longer than I thought it would but eventually the nurse walked through the threshold pushing a clear crib in front of her, my obstetrician right on her heels.

It doesn't matter.

"Morning!" the nurse said brightly.

"Morning." Emmett responded after a few minutes of silence. Puzzled by my mood.

The nurse quickly passed the baby to me and his presence calmed me. I focused on his eyes, which were on the verge of waking up. His eyelids presented incredible resistance but he kept fighting and I instantaneously felt proud when his eyes opened and didn't close again, he'd woken up in my arms.

The doctor asked the nurse for some privacy and came closer to us.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," he started. "I'd like to have a word with you."

Emmett immediately straightened up but I kept my head down.

He drew in a heavy breath. "After the baby was born, he presented some characteristics that raised our concern. The suspicions were heightened when Dr. Cullen came to find me and we discussed the possibility of Aaron being sick. He seems to present features that are common in a certain illness, we decided it was better if we told you today so as not to burden you with these news when the baby had just been born, though that is normal procedure. There is a way to confirm it, with your consent we would like to take a blood test, as that is the easiest way. We'll test for it and within a week or two we should have the results. "

"What illness?" Emmett asked, his cheery tone gone.

"The medical term is 'Trisomy 21' or 'Trisomy G', but it's more commonly known as…" he trailed off.

"Yeah?" Emmett said, unaware that the doctor's next words would be a hard blow.

"Down Syndrome." The doctor finished and the room became silent.

~o~

It was a week and a half after Aaron had been born and yesterday we received a call from the hospital, the results were in.

It was hard discussing it with the family, but they all showed their support. Carlisle apologized for intruding and for not making us aware before, but he said that while his medical side was strong, his grandfather side won out the battle and he opted for letting us be naive a little longer.

I didn't tell him that the second I laid eyes on him I knew there was something wrong.

Still, it doesn't matter.

Our quiet footsteps seemed too loud walking down the quiet hall to the doctor's office.

Hand in hand, Emmett and I would learn our son's fate.

It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter.

I briefly closed my eyes when we reached the door and Emmett knocked softly, he opened the door and we got inside.

I found myself sitting down without even remembering how.

The doctor started with common pleasantries, asking how this week and half had been, if we'd gotten accustomed to lack of sleep, midnight feedings and unending diaper changes.

I didn't even pretend to listen; my stare zeroed in on the closed folder resting on his desk and stayed there.

It had my son's name on it.

Finally he gave up on chit chat, knowing it was but a one-sided conversation. Seeing as how Emmett was so nervous he did nothing more than nod his assent and I had not even met his stare.

"Well, I called you in because the result of Aaron's blood test came back. As I said before he was tested for Down Syndrome. Among the more common physical features are hypotonia or floppiness, small head with brachycephaly, epicanthic folds across the inside corners of the eyes, upward outward slanting palpebral fissures or eye slits, Brushfield spots in the iris, small mouth, small ears, excessive skin at the nape of the neck, a single transverse palmar crease, and short fifth finger with clinodactyly or incurving. A wide space, often with a deep fissure between the first and second toes, is also common. And after a physical we found he showed many of those features. Which lead us to believe he suffered from it. That is why we did the blood test."

_It doesn't matter._ I repeated furiously in my mind. Time and time again.

"And?" My husband asked with a tremble on his voice.

It doesn't matter.

"It was positive." Said the doctor. And his confirmation took away the last stubborn shred of hope I had for the test to come back negative. Tears filled my eyes and instantly I bit down on my lip to stop any noise from escaping me. My heart felt incredibly heavy.

I tried vehemently to remember my former conviction. I always expected it, but now it was confirmed, there was no going back, no ignoring it.

My son had Down Syndrome.

But it.. it doesn't… it…

I couldn't finish.

* * *

**I fully expect some people not to like this idea, but I only hope you give it a chance. I'll try to have the next chapter up much sooner.**

**Have a great day.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Think of a very good, completely valid excuse for why someone would take two months to update their story. Got it? Well, that's exactly what happened.**

**I'm sorry guys, I never meant to take so long, you can call off the search parties now, you gotta remember something, I'm like the annoying family friend, I disappear for a while, but I always come back, :P**

**Las chapter's reviews: Defunkitated M-Geeks Robots, emroseliz, LimitedBannerMaker, what-about-jacob and wish upon a cullen.**

**For alerting: Icycreamluff.**

**For favoriting: emroseliz.**

**Hilda, gracias por tu mensaje, fue la razon por la que empece a escribir este capitulo!!! :)**

**This chapter is dedicated to Defunkitated M-Geeks Robots, who used to be Defunkitated Vampires just two months ago. She's been incredibly supportive of this story from the beginning and it means a lot! Plus she's a fan of musicals, who doesn't love musicals? 525, 600 minutes...**

**Lastly thanks to Channy, who's zuperduper cool!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Seven letters**

"…genetic condition… person has 47 chromosomes… normally 46…could've been detected in pregnancy… amniocentesis…risk of miscarriage..."

The doctor's words swam around my mind; I was unable to register all of them. My grip on Emmett's hand slackened whilst his on mine tightened.

"…can range from mild to severe…physical development is slower than normal… delayed mental and social development…" The doctor kept going, unaware that each statement tore and broke my heart further.

His speech went on, his professional assessment on our situation, the good and the bad, what was to be expected and what would most likely never be. My son's prognosis, according to him was less grim than it would've been years ago thanks to more information about his condition, still, it was a prognosis I never imagined I would be faced with.

I sat there, unable to completely block him out but trying my best to ignore the ongoing medical spew. I wanted to get out of there, to run as far away from this reality as possible, I wanted to go back in time and remain blissfully ignorant of what was happening.

But I couldn't even move.

He continued talking, telling us everything he thought we should know, preparing us mentally for the challenges we would face, asking us if we had any questions or concerns.

Why did this happen? How did this happen? What happens now?

I remained quiet.

What seemed like hours later we were on our way back home, hands still clasped only because my husband wouldn't let go, I was on autopilot.

We were both immersed in our own mind, neither one of us talking, it was the longest we'd ever gone without communication and it seemed like it wouldn't meet an end anytime soon, at least not because of me, the last thing I wanted was to talk.

Right before he opened the door to our house I felt him stop, his finger went under my chin and gently lifted my gaze to him, he looked concerned.

"Rosalie," he asked quietly "are you okay?" And he looked so sincere in his worry. "You haven't said anything since we got to the hospital, I…what can I do? What do you need? I know this is crushing and that we weren't expecting it but it doesn't change anything. He's still our baby boy Rosie, I still love him more than myself, it doesn't matter, right? He's amazing, I wouldn't change a thing about him, not one thing Rosie and I hope you feel the same way. I…you don't…you're okay with this, right? It doesn't change anything, he can still lead a normal life, we'll just need some precautions, but- but it's gonna be fine, you'll see, it'll be fine." His voice was breaking by the end and my lip was quivering.

Without answering him, because I simply didn't know what to say, I let myself fall in his arms, I gave into the hug, into the security he'd been offering for so long. Strong, warm arms held me close and kept me safe, unafraid, complete.

My tears fell slowly at first, all the emotions I had managed to tamp down broke free until I was sobbing, my anguished tears were left to run its course and for that I was grateful. He simply held me and let me cry against his chest, soon after I felt him join me, his agonized cries made him struggle for breath. His grip tightened on me and I felt him look in my arms for the security; the same security that he represented for me.

We simply cried, for our fate, for the rough life our son had been given, for the injustice and unfairness of that. And I cried for myself, because there was a part of me that didn't know how to react, Emmett did what any normal parent would, he accepted our situation so readily, so easily but why couldn't I do the same? Did his physicality really matter _that_ much to me?

Aaron would never look like his Father, or like me, or anyone else in our family. His features would be foreign and yet so completely distinguishable, he would stand out, people would stare and point and maybe even laugh. And that was not something I knew how to handle.

What did that say about me?

I couldn't find a suitable answer.

"What are going to do Emmett?" I asked once my sobs had subsided some.

"What do you mean?"

I hated having to spell this out for him. I couldn't find a way to voice my concerns without sounding like the worst Mother in the world, but I had concerns, about how we would handle what was given to us, how we would move forward from this, how I could be like him and accept everything wholeheartedly.

"How do we deal with what people think? What they say?" I sniffed.

"They don't matter Rosalie, it's only us, just the three of us, no one else." He promised.

"But people… they, do you know what they call kids like him?" I hated to be the one mentioning it but my pain left me without a filter, my pain was too big to contain and now that I'd started talking, I couldn't stop.

I risked a glance at him, his eyes were sad but there was still a fire in him, there was still love for me, he wanted to protect me and I was just hurting him, but I needed him to understand my grief, I needed him to know how this affected me, I needed him to tell me we would be okay and he would help me through the uncertainty I felt.

I needed him to love me no matter what.

"No, I don't." He stated. "What do they call children like him?" He was daring me to say it, but I couldn't because even I could not face to call my son such a horrid name, so I implied it.

"It's a seven letter word, Emmett."

"Special?"

I just shook my head, the tears returned along with the crushing grief, no, 'special' was not the word I meant, it wasn't as hurtful and as shameful as the one I had in mind, the one that hadn't even occurred to my husband.

"It starts with an 'r'," I whispered, "and ends with an's'."

He understood, and those seven letters hurt him more than I ever knew they could, the fact that I could think of that made any lingering concern he had for me leave, he released his hold from me, leaving me alone, ashamed and broken.

"Is that what you think they are? Is that what you think he'll be?" He chocked out. And his massive size seem incapable of holding the disappointment he felt in me, his excessively muscular body seemed weak and impotent. He was broken and defeated, because I'd voiced how insecure I truly was, how affected I was by our son's condition. "He's not, Rosalie, yes he'll be challenged and a lot of things are going to be hard for him but that doesn't mean he's any less worthy of our love. How can you think that? How can you look at him and not love him? He's your son, Rosalie, you carried him for nine months, you felt him grow and develop, you felt him kick you, how can you look at the negative? Rosalie this- this… I won't let you think that, he won't be made to feel less by _anyone_, least of all you; he's perfect, just the way he is, he'll always be perfect, how can you not see it? How can you think otherwise?" His whispered words hurt more than shouts; the pain etched in them broke my heart, tore at my soul and made me feel worthless. It wasn't just me I was hurting with my thoughts.

"I'm so sorry, Emmett." I managed to get out over the lump in my throat. "Please," I begged "please, help me; don't leave me alone, I'm sorry." And my tears restarted, sobs wracked my body so strongly I fell to the ground, on my knees, at his feet.

I was afraid he would leave me there, that I'd hurt him so much he wouldn't care if I was okay or not, but I should've known he was far too kind for that, he got to his knees too, and reached out to me, holding me, piecing me back together. Not judging or cursing my vanity. Though he should have.

"Listen to me Rosalie, we're going to be okay, it's all going to be okay. No one else matters, just him, he's a blessing Rosalie, never look at it any differently; just love him as he is, love him unconditionally. Please."

I could only nod.

~o~

When we finally went inside, we went to straight to our son, together we watched over his sleep, we saw his little body rest, his little chest rise and fall, we heard the tiny whimpers he would at times let out and worried over their meaning, and finally before leaving his room, we each dipped our bodies until out lips met his soft cheeks.

Then we left the room, our hands once again clasped.

~o~

It was late at night when I woke from an uneasy sleep; my vain thoughts once again plagued me, hunted me until I rose from my bed and left the room.

I opened the door quietly so as not to wake either one of the men in my life, and turned on the light, immediately I was met with the face, a face I could no longer recognize.

It should've been beautiful.

It should've been perfect.

But no matter how hard I tried I could not find the beauty that everyone else seemed to find, my eyes studied slowly the planes of the face in front me, the outline that, to me, emitted nothing more than repulsion. Disgust.

Long and hard I looked, trying desperately to find the beauty I once imagined the face having and came up empty.

A tear fell.

Another joined. And I made no move to soothe the broken being, because it didn't deserved to be soothed, it didn't deserve to be gently touched, to be showed love.

It should have been beautiful.

But it wasn't and it probably would never be.

I heaved a sigh and turned off the light, turning around I went for the door, leaving my reflection in the bathroom mirror behind.

I started thinking about us again.

About my son; the innocent being who had answered my prayers and had come to join us. The tiny person who would bring us joy, who meant more than anything to both Emmett and I.

I thought about Emmett, who loved his son unconditionally, fiercely and without regrets. And who even loved me despite my atrocious behavior this afternoon; he was my rock, my strength.

And then I thought about me, how I always knew I wanted a baby more than anything else and almost let the smallest imperfection take me away from my dream come true. I'd almost rejected my son, for something that wasn't his fault, for something he couldn't control, for something that to a less conceited person would have never mattered.

Seven letters defined each of us, truly and completely.

Seven letters to define my son: desired.

Seven letters to define my husband: hopeful.

Seven letters to define myself: monster.

* * *

**Hope it was worth the wait. If you couldn't guess the seven letter word, let me know, I'll tell you.**

**So I had an idea, how about you guys give me a deadline for each chapter to be out? That way this dreadful wait won't happen again, if I make it you'll review, if I don't you won't. Cool? I was thinking a week is pretty decent, but of course majority rules. And yes this is a shameless attempt to get reviews, I'm incorrigible. O.o**

**I've been meaning to tell you a pointless story for a while, so here goes: I was walking down the street the other day and came across a black Mercedes, parked right behind it was a silver Volvo.**

**Have a great day.**


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